WR450, any other weak batteries out there??

[Pluto67]

New 08 WR450. I've had the battery replaced already - wouldn't hold a charge. I put the bike on a battery tender nightly. This Sat. the e-start was good and strong at first but then after just a few starts (6-10) the battery petered out and I had to kick it. I'm new to trail riding so I dumped it a lot that day over logs, steep water crossings, stuck in off-trail junk trying to go around a fallen tree,.... Got more and more tired and after a while just kicking it was a chore!!!! I was beat man, just plain useless. Too weak to ride. My buddy picked my bike up for me after one particullarly good (but slow) tip. Embarassing that was, but much appreciated.

Anyways, anyone with a similar issue?? I'm not sure it's normal. I think from now on I'll kick it early in the day and save that nice e-start for when I'm wiped out.

Need to do some pushups. Darn!! 41 can feel old.

[TWILES]

My 05 was like that when I bought it. The battery was completely dead when I got it home. I charged it for a couple hours and had the same results as you. About 6 months after I got the bike I charged it again for a while and it has gone dead a couple times but its holds the charge better and re-charges off the stator better. Ever since that time 6 months after I bought it, it has done good. Maybe they just need time?

[ETP]

New 08 WR450. I've had the battery replaced already - wouldn't hold a charge. I put the bike on a battery tender nightly. This Sat. the e-start was good and strong at first but then after just a few starts (6-10) the battery petered out and I had to kick it. I'm new to trail riding so I dumped it a lot that day over logs, steep water crossings, stuck in off-trail junk trying to go around a fallen tree,.... Got more and more tired and after a while just kicking it was a chore!!!! I was beat man, just plain useless. Too weak to ride. My buddy picked my bike up for me after one particullarly good (but slow) tip. Embarassing that was, but much appreciated.

Anyways, anyone with a similar issue?? I'm not sure it's normal. I think from now on I'll kick it early in the day and save that nice e-start for when I'm wiped out.

Need to do some pushups. Darn!! 41 can feel old.

If the battery and charging system are working properly, the bike should start no problem after riding for a while.

To check the charging system, connect a volt meter on the battery while the bike is running and make sure its reading somewhere above 13+ volts DC.

If not, then something might be draining the battery while running, or the charging circuit isn't working.

These systems are designed to be light weight, so there is not much reserve power like a car or truck battery. If your bike is typically hard to start, it could be sucking the battery down.

My 03 WR450 battery is still the original. Its getting weak and sometimes I have to kick it to get things going in the morning. But once I've ridden for an hour or so, the battery will start the bike for the rest of the day.

My jetting is dialed in pretty good, so once warm, the estart fires up the bike within a couple seconds. 6 or 7 seconds would probably be too much for my battery.

[blueyam]

I have an 05 that I purchased new in Jan 06. Have ridden hard, slow, hot, cold, single track, high speed desert over the past few years. Not a hint of battery problems. Sometimes it's a few months between rides and battery seems to be as strong as ever when I hit the electric start after sitting idle for months.

I ride with 05-06 Honda CRF450's and their batteries seem to be having the same challenge as yours. A friend also got the new 450 Kawasaki about 4 months ago and on the last 2 rides his battery peters out as well.

Not sure why I've been so lucky but I've been told that the wr450's have strong batteries compared to other brands. Maybe a short somewhere in your wiring? Or check with Yamaha and see if they changed batteries from 05 to 08 models. Good luck.

[Kirkster]

I have not had any problems with my battery on my 07 WR450 so I would do as ETP suggested, make sure the battery is charging when it is running. Go from there so at least you know if it is the bike (its new, take it in) or the battery.

[swede426]

Check your ground connections

[SXP]

Also, there's a world of difference between a US made Yuasa (? ) and a Japanese Yuasa (? ) of the same model number. I don't know why, but I've had really crappy luck with replacement batteries (which tend to be the US made Yuasa) for some reason. BTW, these replacements were for street bikes, not the WR450.

[markh1]

Mine was the same way when i bought it 08 WR450 so i unpluged the headlamp and it has had no problem since. All i do know is trickle charge the night before a ride and it works perfect.

[SXP]

Mine was the same way when i bought it 08 WR450 so i unpluged the headlamp and it has had no problem since. All i do know is trickle charge the night before a ride and it works perfect.

The headlight works off AC and should have no bearing on whether or not your battery charges. The battery charges off a separate DC circuit, which is independent of the headlight.

[markh1]

That's what i have been told but since unpluged ive had no problems:confused:

[Routt North]

I have an 08' that can't hold a charge if you "over use" the electric start. The electric start kills the battery real quick though.

I have another issue. My bike won't start if you kick it or use the electric start. It only starts when you roll start it. I think this is my fault somehow though since I put a Baja Design street kit on it. That is for another post though.

[mattias]

I also have an WR450 -07 ,and here in sweden the most of them change the battery in their wr 450 to the battery wich are stockmounted in wr 250.

[Bullwinkle]

I think from now on I'll kick it early in the day and save that nice e-start for when I'm wiped out.

That's what I do. I'd much rather save it for when I really need it.

?

[CAVSCOUT96]

That's what i have been told but since unpluged ive had no problems:confused:

Maybe it has something to do with your choice of AVATAR:p